Man, 70, In Custody For Genital Mutilation

A 70-year-old "wanzam" who circumcised a three-month-old baby girl five years ago has been arrested by the Bole police in the Northern Region. Putuo Irinebe, the "wanzam", was said to have contracted to do the circumcision by the child's mother, now deceased, at Signyekura, near Bole in the Northern Region. Female circumcision, commonly referred to as female genital mutilation, is a criminal act under the law. He was arrested by the Bole police at the weekend upon a tip-off by the guardian of the girl. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Northern Regional Police Command, Inspector Albert Johnson, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale that the guardian of the victim, Vida Toyiri, told the police that she had information that the mother of the victim sent her to Irinebe for the circumcision in 2003. According to Inspector Johnson, Toyiri said on April 17, 2008, she discovered that there were some abnormalities in the genitals of the victim. He said Toyiri subsequently sent the girl to the Bole Government Hospital where it was confirmed that the clitoris had been cut off. She therefore reported the case to the police and the man was subsequently arrested. Irinebe is currently in police custody assisting the police in their investigations. Under the Criminal Code, Act 29 of 1960 such acts could result in being charged with second degree felony and those found liable could be given a prison term of not less than three years.